Natural and Organic

We've teamed up with Comfort Station Logan Square's Potluck Series and a dozen community partners to throw a big, end-of-summer, community-building party. Join us! Feel free to bring a snack to share, or just swing by to enjoy FREE locally sourced (veggie)burgers, brats, and freshly harvested vegetables. There'll be music, lawn games, relay races, yoga, a children's reading corner, chair massages, and many more opportunities to have a good time on one of the last summer weekends. Check out the event on facebook and spread the word.

Over the last few weeks, the co-op staff and board has been discussing how we should respond to Eden Foods' objections to the Affordable Care Act. Eden, a Michigan based company, produces a large array of organic products that have led the way for ethical and sustainable sourcing for decades. Last year, Eden CEO Michael Potter filed suit against the Obama administration's contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act on religious grounds. He lost the case, but when Hobby Lobby was granted an exemption from providing their employees birth control coverage in June, the Eden case was reopened for consideration.

The Dill Pickle has received many comments from owners in disagreement with Mr. Potter's lawsuit. Some would like to see the co-op boycott Eden, some are interested in seeing more alternative brands added as option, and some, though in disagreement with Eden's actions, are still occasionally purchasing Eden products for their high quality standards and sourcing. Part of the Dill Pickle mission is to provide information to customers about their purchasing options, empowering them to vote with their dollar. Our Ends E states, "DPFC members and patrons are well-educated in matters of healthful foods, environmental sustainability, fair labor practices and the cooperative business model.

In response, we have been adding, where possible, alternative brands that meet our product selection standards. In some cases, where an option of equal quality is available, we have replaced the Eden product entirely. Should sales drop to a point that indicates our customers no longer support Eden Foods products, they will be removed from our shelves. I have also written an open letter to Eden's CEO, letting him know that the Dill Pickle is informing our customers of his actions and that we will respond accordingly to impact on Eden product sales.

Many thanks to the customers and owners who have shared their concerns with us. We encourage you to also reach out directly to Eden CEO Michael Potter at:

Our Growing Store, our Growing Co-op Community

We've made some very exciting strides in our expansion work over the summer months. Our biggest milestone came in late July: approval from the Chicago Community Loan Fund (CCLF), in partnership with Minneapolis-based Northcountry Cooperative Development Fund (NCDF) to provide financing for our expansion! Both of these organizations exclusively back projects that build thriving, vibrant communities; CCLF provides low-interest loans to applicants in low and moderate income areas in Chicago, and NCDF funds cooperative enterprises around the country. In fact, when a co-op like ours accepts a loan from NCDF, they actually join NCDF, paying modest membership dues that go toward loans for other co-ops. Pretty cool, right? The growth of our co-op will fuel the growth of other co-ops in a very tangible way. Who knew commercial loans could make you feel so warm and fuzzy inside?

The promise of $1.6 million in funding is a bolstering show of confidence in the Dill Pickle from two great organizations. It means we can move ahead with lease negotiations on our site. It also means we now need to rally for the growth of our co-op community.

A bigger store calls for a bigger cooperative ownership to support it, not only in equity and owner loans, but in patronage, promotion and, well, love. The Dill Pickle Co-op is more than a grocery store--the store is the economic engine driving a powerful force for good, a force made up of the currently thirteen hundred-plus people who share similar values around healthy, just food. That's why next week we're launching our first (since before we opened) Ownership Drive. Our goal is to have 200 more owners join our co-op family before our Annual Meeting on September 23rd. Over 1,500 Dill Picklers will provide a powerful base for a bigger store, with the energy and imagination to take our mighty little co-op to its next stage of life. Find out how you can help your co-op grow and thrive by visiting the Ownership Drive info on our website. Your investment in the Dill Pickle is why we're expanding; it can also inspire others to join in and cooperate too! Go go co-op!